Algonac residents’ step-up with donations again
By Barb Pert Templeton
The National Association of Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive, hosted every year on the second Saturday in May, is the largest one-day food drive in the nation.
In a recent press release, the United States Postal Service stated that each year letter carriers across the country collect non-perishable food donations from their customers and those donations go directly to local food pantries to provide food to people in need.
Over the course of its more than 30-year history, the drive has collected well over 1.9 billion pounds of food, thanks to a postal service universal delivery network that spans the entire nation, including Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The annual food drive’s timing is crucial. Food banks and pantries often receive most of their donations during the winter holiday seasons. By springtime, many pantries are depleted, entering the summer low on supplies at a time when many school breakfast and lunch programs are not available to children in need.
“We want to thank all our generous customers throughout Michigan who donate food that goes to those who need help in their own community. The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive could not be a success for 33 years without their support,” said Manager Rick Moreton. Michigan 1 District.
While communities across St. Clair County collect donations for the annual food drive, the efforts and generosity of the citizens in Algonac never fails to impress Algonac Postmaster Michael Bembas.
He said the Algonac Post Office has been taking part in the food collection drive for 30 years and he’s personally been a part of it for 16 years now.
“When I got there 16 years ago, we made it a priority to be a part of and to serve our community this way,” Bembas said. “This year was our most successful at 6,500 pounds of food. We normally double the amount collected in Marine City.”
When asked if he feels he has played an important part in the success of the annual food drive, simply because he talks about it so much during Algonac city council meetings, where he’s a councilman, Bembas said he takes his community involvement very seriously.
“I have always supported our food drive and the Algonac Food Bank,” he added.
An example of the types of food items donated for the drive includes plenty of canned vegetables and lots of boxes of cereal.
As for the actual collection part of the process, Bembas said customers leave the food they are donating by their mail box and postal carriers pick it up and deliver it right to the local food bank, in this case Trinity United Methodist Church in Algonac.
In fact, Bembas said all of the food donations are kept in the local area and the Trinity Food Bank provides services to Algonac, Clay and Ira townships and also residents on Harsens Island.
Financial donations are also accepted and this year both Kroger and the Algonac Lions “made hefty financial donations,” according to Bembas.
The food pantry at Trinity United Methodist Church is open on Friday’s from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on the third Tuesday of the month from 6 to 7 p.m. Those in need can visit the pantry once a month with four weeks between visits.
Algonac Trinity United Methodist Church is located at 424 Smith Street in Algonac.
